An Old Flame
by The Magic Words
Summary: Emma is forced to confront the married man from her past with a pirate at her side. **I suck at summaries. Captain Swan. Rated T for, like, affairs and stuff.**
1. Chapter 1

Emma knew that getting involved with a married man was dangerous, but in some ways it had also felt safe. She was twenty-five, didn't know what she was doing with her life, had a baby, gave that baby up, fell in love with a man who sent her to jail - not in that order. In other words, Emma needed to protect herself.

She had dated a little. Well, mostly she had a lot of one night stands, but the guys always called her the next day and when she explain, again, that she wasn't looking for a relationship they called a slew of names she'd rather forget. So when Frank, with his wedding ring and the not-so-subtle way he looked at her cleavage, came along and told her she had the makings of a great bail bonds-person she saw an opportunity to have some much needed fun, in the safest way possible.

It lasted eight months, before it got messy. He taught her a lot about catching bail-jumpers by day, and she modeled sexy underwear by night. He was careful never to give her a paycheck after they had sex, and she was careful to never meet his wife. Every six weeks or so there would be a "big case" and they'd go away for the weekend to his place in the mountains. If it wasn't so sleazy it would have been heaven. But maybe it was just enough heaven for Emma, she didn't have to open her heart to him and she didn't have to be alone.

That is, until Frank started saying things like "I love you" in his sleep or muttering to himself about how he was just waiting for the right moment to tell his wife he was leaving.

She started picturing what they're life would be like together. A house. Not leaving in the middle of the night, making breakfast in the morning.

The images made her heart ache.

She knew she would never have that. She knew he wasn't really going to leave her and she didn't want him to, but the muttering kept getting louder and louder until it was all he could talk about. He had two kids. She knew she had to get lost.

She went had started her own business and moved around a few more times before Henry found her and her life changed forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Hook was - something. He had always been something, but Emma wasn't quite ready to find out what that something was yet. She wasn't ready for the next step. Not until she figured out what was happening with the Wicked Witch, but after…maybe.

Maybe.

It had been a while since she had a maybe. Graham had been one. A possibility. But it was over before she even took that first leap. She made a silent promise to him a long time ago that she'd be braver the next time. More open. _I'm trying_, she thought to herself, _but I've got more important things to do right now. _His shoelace felt warm on her wrist as she looked down at her hand on the steering wheel of her bug.

Hook knew about Graham. She had told him a little about him in Neverland, after one too many sips of rum. _He must have been a good man_, was all he had said.

_He was. Too good for me._

_No one is too good for you, Swan._

"Thinking about him?" Hook interrupted her thoughts from the passenger seat. He didn't have that jealous tone that most other men would have had. But why would he He had lost a love far greater long before. He understood.

"Not really," Emma said with a catch in her voice. She knew about Milah. He knew about Graham. And of course, he knew about Neal. Okay, maybe he had been jealous of Neal a bit, but Emma suspected that had more to do with their shared history than her. Anyway since Neal had returned, she could tell that Hook understood that she wasn't going back to him.

She loved Neal, he was Henry's father. They would be united forever because of that, but too much had happened. There was too much pain and too much time. They could never go back to what they were. She had changed. Hook understood all this. He always understood her.

"What's wrong, love?" Hook asked again. As it turns out there was a talisman that could hep them defeat the witch. A locket. A locket she once had. A locket that was in a safe-deposit box in a bank in Vermont that she didn't think she would ever go back to. A safe-deposit box she once shared with Frank. And Frank still had the key.

Which is why they were driving to Vermont while the others were holding down Storybrooke until their return. She had wanted to go alone, but no body thought it was safe. And since he was the only other one who could cross the town line with her, she had no choice.

She never thought she would have to tell anyone about Frank. She certainly wasn't proud of her - to use Hook's word - dalliance. She had to alluded to it with Mary-Margret when she had first moved into the apartment, but that was before she realized the school teacher was her mother. There was no way in hell she was going to tell her now.

Her whole life had been about finding family. She was ashamed to admit she was almost the reason that broke up someone else's.

But she had to tell Hook. They were five minutes away from Frank's office. She just had to see him to get the key (she thought about stealing it, but there wasn't enough time). Hook had to know what he was getting himself into.

She pulled the car over.

"I have to tell you something," she said turning to face him.

"Finally."

Emma blinked, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Darling, no offense, but you can't hide a thought to save your life. Now tell me what's so troubling so we can get on to the task at hand."

"The locket - it's in a safe, here. And I can't get it without the key."

"I see. And who has the key?"

"Frank. This is his office. He was my…mentor, I guess. He taught me about bail-bonds." She said searching his eyes. He understood. Of course he did.

His voice was tight when he asked the next question, but it was not as harsh as she expected.

"Was he also your lover?"

"I don't think you could call it loving," she laughed bitterly. Hating herself.

"But you cared for him?" He asked holding her gaze.

"Yes," she took a breath "but he was married. It wasn't what you call, good form. We went to far and then I left. Never saw him again."

"Until now."

"Until now."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the follows/favorites/reviews! I really wasn't expecting that at all. I just needed to let off some Captain Swan steam (while also acknowledging all of Emma's past relationships), so it's really cool that people are liking this. Next (and probably final) chapter will be like tons of CS, so get ready. Thanks!**

"Emma!" Frank's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she walked into his office. He looked the same. She hadn't seen him in five years and he hadn't changed a bit. Slim, but strong frame, sliver hair, world-weary brown eyes. She wondered how she must seem in comparison. Probably ragged, like she was the one who was seventeen years older, not him. Like someone went to hell and back. Twice.

"I'm on a case, Frank," she said as clearly as she could."I need the key to the safe-deposit box."

A cheeky smile crossed his face. Hook usually had a cheeky smile of his own, but Frank's was different. There was a touch of malice in his eyes. She could feel the pirate tense up beside her.

"What? No, Hello Frank? Long time. What's with Shakespeare?" He asked, jutting his thumb out to Hook.

"Killian Jones. I'm an associate of Emma's," Hook said, ignoring the comment about his outfit. His jaw was tight. Emma had to move this along.

"We're working on something by the Renaissance Faire," Emma said quickly. "Where's the key?"

She could tell Frank wasn't pleased with her business-like manner or her choice in companion. He wanted to get a rise out of her.

"What if I told you I don't have the key, Ems? I lost it. What would you say?"

Emma took a deep breath. He wanted to make this as difficult as possible. Lord knows he was always s stubborn son of a bitch. But she had to remain calm. She didn't have the luxury of getting caught up in old affairs. She had a witch to defeat.

"Don't bullshit me Frank.I know you have it. It's that secret drawer in your desk, where it's always been."

Frank chuckled to himself and went to the drawer. "Still could at picking out those lies, eh Ems? You always did have a knack for that. Your little superpower, I called it. Remember?"

Emma quickly grabbed the key from his hand.

"I remember. Thanks Frank. I'll drop this off here on the way back."

"Wait a second. I haven't seen you in, what? Five years? You think you can just come in her and take a key to our safe-deposit box and I'm just going to trust that you won't take something that isn't yours? It's not like you have the cleanest record."

"You think I'm going to steal from you? Really?" Emma's eyes were wide. It was a low blow and he knew it.

"Only one way to make sure, Emma. I'll be accompanying you and Jack Sparrow to the bank."

"You're welcome to come, but I suspect it will be a little crowded," Hook said as he wrapped his arm around Emma's waste protectively. If she wasn't so dumbstruck by Frank's hurtful words she would have been pissed. She didn't need his help. She could handle Frank - even if what he said stung - but she did appreciate that Hook could be supportive without punching the other guy in the face.

"I think I'll manage," Frank said to Emma only. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. It didn't matter though, she could read it in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking.

_You fuck everybody you work with?_

A rage bubbled up deep within her core. Frank was supposed to be better than that. He had been her teacher, he had believed in her. Yes, she broke his heart, but he now was shattering hers. How could someone you care so much about think so low of you? How can someone who loved you be so mean?

Her body tensed. She just need to get the key and leave. She just had to put up with him for ten more minutes. She had to pull herself together. She was the Savior. She had to save her family.

When they got to the bank - which hadn't changed a bit since the last time she was there - the three of them quickly got the small box and when into one of the privacy booths. Hook was right, it was crowded.

Emma opened the box and tried not to look too hard at any of the mementos from her time with Frank as she dug around for the locket. She could tell he was watching her every move. And Hook was watching Frank watch her every move. It was a tense few minutes until she found the locket.

"Okay. I got it. We can go now." She said to no one in particular. They left the room and returned the safe-deposit box.

"That's really all that you came for?" Frank asked as they walked out of the bank. Emma caught a glimpse of Hook out of the corner of her eye. Something had snapped.

"What, you think she came back just to see you?"

Frank whipped around and looked Hook dead in the eye for the first time since they had been introduced.

"This is none of your goddamn business, so shut the hell up," Frank growled.

Hook took a step closer to Frank, his face was hard and fierce.

"It's _all _my business."

"I may be a little older, but-"

"Believe me mate, I'm plenty old," Hook interrupted. "and I've seen enough in my time to know you're nothing but a bitter coward who will never get what he wants."

"Enough!" Emma yelled stepping between the two. "This doesn't matter know. We have what we came for. Let's go, Killian." Hook glared at Frank once last time over Emma's shoulder. He gave a soft grunt and took a step backwards. Emma turned to Frank.

"Thanks for the help," she said and just as she turned to go, he spoke up.

"You little whore."

And it was all he got to say before she clenched her fist and knocked him out.


End file.
